Marlborough awarded grant for pedestrian, bicycle safety

The Marlborough Police Department will receive a $5,000 grant to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

Staff reports

The Marlborough Police Department will receive a $5,000 grant to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

A $100,000 grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was made available through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) for competitive grants to police departments. Awards ranged from $3,000 to $7,500 based on the population size of communities.

The grants will fund a variety of law enforcement activities such as targeted enforcement and decoy patrols, and the use of equipment like breakaway signs and crosswalk reflective tape, according to the police department. A combination of techniques and devices will help departments analyze and crack down on both pedestrians and cyclists who put themselves in danger as well as drivers who do not share the road appropriately.

“There are many tools available to protect pedestrians and cyclists, including education, enforcement and outreach, and this grant provides much needed funding, which will help us reduce pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and fatalities,” said Lt. Michael A. Amoros.

According to the Massachusetts Traffic Records Analysis Center, from 2006 to 2010, more than 1,600 bicyclists and pedestrians were injured in crashes and 360 of those resulted in death. More than 70 percent of bicycle and pedestrian crashes involve an injury, compared to 25 percent for all car crashes.

The Marlborough Police Department, in partnership with EOPSS, recognizes that traffic crashes are preventable, and is committed to using this grant to reduce the number of car-related fatalities and injuries involving pedestrians and bicyclists in Marlborough.

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